


Another One Bites the Dust

by DarkLThemsby



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman Eternal (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-11
Updated: 2015-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-08 20:10:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4318287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkLThemsby/pseuds/DarkLThemsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red Hood returns to Gotham, stirring up trouble, but Batgirl disapproves</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another One Bites the Dust

Red Hood rose after having just drop-kicked one of Joker's thugs and knocking him out. More thugs appeared out of the woodwork forming a group around him. Grimly, Hood's helmet mimicked his owner's smile, causing a few of the thugs to flinch slightly.

Hood turned around, looking to find the best first target for the fight. Just then the playlist in his ears started on a deep bass rhythm- an intro to a song. Hood couldn't help but laugh out loud as he recognized the song as "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen. He walked towards a fairly big guy who held a baseball bat. Hood started snapping his fingers, and matched his steps to the beat.

**_Steve walks warily down the street_ **

The thug took a swing at Hood, who dodged it easily and then beat him down, matching each punch to the beat of the music.

**_With the brim pulled way down low_ **

Hood found his next target already rushing at him. The counter was so painfully easy that he even kept his snaps going with one hand.

**_Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet_ **

Hood kicked the next guy in the face still keeping up with the rhythm of the song.

**_Machine guns ready to go_ **

Hood lazily drew his guns while evading and countering another wave of attacks.

**_Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this?_ **

He knocked out another thug with a whip of his pistol to the back of his head.

**_Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?_ **

Hood noticed that his opponents behind him were starting to bring out the big guns. These thugs were clearly on drugs, and some of them carried stun batons.

**_Out of the doorway the bullets rip_ **

**_To the sound of the beat._ **

Hood raised his guns, pointing them at the heads of the thugs closing in, but then he hesitated. He could already hear Bruce's reprimanding speech. That he could deal with, but then he saw Barbara's disappointed eyes, distant and cold. He sighed. Bruce was one thing, but even imaginary Barbara's cold stare could cut through his resolve like a warm knife cutting through butter.

**_Another one bites the dust_ **

Hood lowered his guns slightly. A sly smile came upon his helmet. After all, he was alone.

**_Another one bites the dust_ **

At least when he disregarded the bad guys, who were more than willing to take on a bit of punishment.

**_And another one gone_ **

Hood shot out the kneecaps of one of the thugs, who fell to the ground screaming in pain.

**_And another one gone_ **

The next guy took a shot to his elbow dropping the huge machete he was carrying.

**_Another one bites the dust_ **

Chaos roamed as the thugs were starting to panic. Hood moved towards one of the thugs who instantly ran away screaming.

**_Hey, I'm gonna get you too_ **

Hood casually raised his gun before shooting.

**_Another one bites the dust_ **

The thug fell screaming to the ground with his hands grabbing for his injured leg. The grim smile returned to Hood's helmet as the thugs began to disperse.

**_How do you think I'm going to get along_ **

Hood raised his guns towards one of the fleeing thugs and made a motion like he was shooting.

**_Without you, when you're gone?_ **

"Pew pew pe-" Suddenly a batarang hit his hand, making him drop his gun. He jumped slightly at this before seeing the batarang at his feet.

**_You took me for everything that I had_ **

Hood picked up the batarang and did a quick scan with his helmet. He froze as it showed him that this particular batarang belonged to Batgirl. To be specific, it belonged to Barbara Gordon.

**_And kicked me out on my own_ **

Red Hood stood up. His helmet was still in the middle of calculating the trajectory of the batarang, when Batgirl landed in front of him.

**_Are you happy, are you satisfied_ **

**_How long can you stand the heat_ **

Red Hood and Batgirl just stood there, staring at each other. Hood was very glad that his helmet at least concealed the true horror he was feeling right then, seeing Barbara in front of him. He was certain that all color had drained from his face. But what truly made it a nightmare come true, was the deep frown he could spot through her mask.

**_Out of the doorway the bullets rip_ **

**_To the sound of the be-_ **

Hood decided that maybe now was the time to cut off the music. The icy stare he was receiving definitely meant that he was in trouble, and when Barbara Gordon is mad at you, you pay attention. Hood raised his hands, dropped his other gun, and assumed, what he thought was a casual pose.

"Hey Barbie, fancy meeting you here."

Barbara's eyes narrowed at his comment. She walked up to him. If it had been any other woman, her being vastly smaller than him would have calmed him down. If everything went to utter shite, he could still overpower her and escape. But this was not just any woman. This was Barbara Gordon, and he knew that she could probably bend him backwards and not even break a sweat.

"You have got a lot of nerve coming back here." Her voice was as icy as her stare. Hood swallowed a nervous lump, hands still raised, trying to not look threatening. "Just who do you think you are? You wear that symbol-" She motioned to the red bat on his chest. "Yet you shoot and kill people?!"

"Hey now!" He interrupted her before she set into a frothing rage. "I didn't kill any of these guys." He motioned to the nearest guy he had shot, who was moaning in pain. "I only hit them in the legs. Ok well I did hit that one guy in the arm, but they're all still alive!"

Apparently Batgirl was a little taken aback at this. She walked past Hood and took a look at each of the thugs, her presence becoming less and less threatening. She sighed loudly before pulling out a phone and dialed 9-1-1.

 

***

 

Batgirl ended the call and looked towards Hood who stood where she had left him, with his hands still raised. His helmet had assumed an awkwardly nervous smile, almost like a puppy who knew it had done something bad, yet still thought it had done you a favor. She sighed hard and moved up to him.

"Ambulances will be here shortly." She tried giving him a cold stare, but seeing that no one had actually been killed, it was a little harder than before. She almost felt a little ashamed to have thought so badly of him. Jason might have a slightly skewed sense of right and wrong, but he tried. "Let's go." She moved past him and pulled out her grappling hook.

Ten minutes later, she and Red Hood were standing on the top of one of the tall dark buildings down in the Narrows. She knew that she was very far away from Burnside, but after she had heard the police radio calling in a sighting of Red Hood in Gotham, she had to follow him.

"So.. What now?" Hood leaned against a billboard.

"Goddammit Jason you could've killed those people!" She tried to be cold towards him, but the shame she was feeling for not believing in him was still gnawing at her.

"But I didn't." His tone was calm, but there was something about it that she could not put her finger on. "Even though they deserved to be killed, I didn't do it. I didn't come back here only to play executioner, you know." He was definitely hurt.

"I know you didn't." She looked away from him. The thought of having hurt him by not believing in him ate at her. "Why _did_ you come back?"

Jason shifted his stance a bit, avoiding eye contact. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Of course he would try to evade the question. She had expected that.

"Jason..." She stopped as he raised a hand.

"I get it. I'm a wanted criminal. I've been doing some not so great things." He was still avoiding looking in her eyes. "I can understand if you don't want me making trouble in your city."

"No! That's not it at all! I wish you would stop going it alone all the time." Batgirl's voice cracked. "I wish you would talk to us instead." She hugged herself, looking away from Hood feeling very confused with herself.

"I'm sorry Barb." Batgirl looked up at Jason, surprised by what he was saying. "I guess you're right. Maybe I have been going at it alone for too long." He removed his helmet, an apologetic smile on his face. "I-I just don't really know how... I don't know what to say." A slight blush appeared on his cheeks, as he avoided her eyes.

Batgirl smiled slightly and stepped closer to him. "Give me your phone, Jason." He gave her a slightly confusing look, but reached into a pocket and handed it to her. She entered her phone-number into his very short contact list. She dialed her number, and felt the vibration of her own phone in her pocket. She pulled it out accepted the call, and handed Jason back his phone. He took it and awkwardly put it to his ear. "It's not really that hard Todd. Just press the green symbol whenever you see my name on the screen."

Jason gave a short laugh, ending the call. "Terribly clever as always."

Barbara smiled at him. Most of the tension from before gone. As they were just standing there now, she could not help but notice how handsome Jason had become. The years after his resurrection had most definitely been kind to him.

"Uhm.." Barbara searched for a way to ask her question without making things awkward. "D-do you have a place to stay? Here in Gotham I mean." She could feel the heat rising to her face, feeling slightly glad that her cowl covered most of it.

"Uh.. Well.. I was thinking of maybe crashing at Tim's place, but I- uuh I never got around to asking him." Jason was fidgeting nervously, his cheeks starting to match the color of the emblem on his chest.

"You could, uuh, you could come with me back to my place, borrow my couch for a couple of days maybe. Though it's a bit far from here, so I totally get it if you'd rather just go to a motel or something." Barbara's cheeks were burning as well now, and she was pretty sure her cowl were no longer able to hide it.

"No! Nono! I would totally appreciate that!" They looked embarrassed at each other for a short minute, before Jason started to laugh. "Man! And here I was, thinking that this would end up with me being nomore than a bloody stain on the rooftop."

"Hey! I'm not that violent! I was only gonna break your arms!" Barbara said play pouting, though unable to hide the smile building on her face. "So, are you coming or not?"

"Well, we are literally 500 feet directly above my bike." Jason motioned to the edge of the building.

"Fine, but I'm driving!" Barbara winked at him and jumped off the roof.


End file.
